The moon was high in the sky, the pale light casting sharp shadows around the bases of the trees at the tree line, and the few small bushes that had c...me up between the trees and the cabin since the last time he cleared the land there.He knew his target was out there, he could feel it creeping, stalking, watching. The feeling was like a prickle on his skin, an itch between his shoulder blades. The rifle that lay across his knees was a solid, dependable presence as it rested under his hand. It. The cane is such a vicious tool, so precise, so biting. Taking in the plumpness of both cheeks in one stroke, leaving a burning welt to rise from reddened flesh. It bruised me so badly last time the linear marks were still clear on my skin.Over and over the bamboo swished down onto my flesh, seeming to land repeated on the same spot. I swore I wanted the skin to break just to relieve the pain of the growing welt. I kept screwing my eyes shut at each blow, literally seeing stars in front of me.. I was ruffled when I dropped him off and looked quickly in themirror to adjust my hairband. 'Might he have realized,' I thought, 'that I'm not the woman he thinks Iam?' But he was even more anxious than the day before to meet me. Perhapsthat afternoon?"Could you do some gardening for me? I'll pay you and it's not reallyheavy work. It's just that I promised the owner you see..." I begancoquetishly. "I'll pick you up at three? Yes, the Five and Dime."Sure enough, he was there waiting for me and. I wanted to laugh. She did a good impression of me. I knew that if I did, she would never talk to me again.“I’m sorry,” I said, and went to my new move ... the freezing, wet, sad puppy with a quivering lip.Maybe the whining-puppy sounds were a bit much.“Jerk!” she said, and gave me a shove.“You can’t be mad at me,” I said, getting down on my knees by the dugout.Other players started to notice.“Get up,” she hissed, and tried to walk away.I pulled a Cassidy move and wrapped her leg with my arms.